Since we are both reborn, of course I would choose the rich woman!

Chapter 428 The Backlash of the Luck Gu Arrives (6k views, please subscribe)

Based on Lü Yao's previous video-making habits, he should already be somewhere else by now. However, now that things are finally looking up in Litang, Lü Yao doesn't plan to continue pushing forward with his itinerary. He wants to make Litang a better, bigger, and stronger place.

Let it become a powerful town at the starting point of National Highway 318.

Therefore, Lü Yao plans to film a quarterly summary and then end this episode.

As for the economy of Aba, Aba actually has more resources than Ganzi. The most prominent example is Jiuzhaigou. Those who have not been to Jiuzhaigou probably cannot understand how beautiful it is. The saying that it is a paradise on earth is not without reason.

Besides these, Mount Siguniang, Dagu Glacier, and Baolianyeze are all very enchanting sights.

All that's needed is for Ganzi and Aba to work together effectively. Since they're already here, going to Aba again would be a very tempting option for many tourists. The best way to achieve this is to significantly reduce the travel costs for tourists. That's why Lü Yao is working with a big boss in Ganzi to develop long-distance bus services here.

These long-distance bus fares are very cheap, but the travel experience is very good. These long-distance bus services are basically operating at a loss, but that doesn't matter. Transportation is the lifeblood of economic development. Only when the lifeblood is unobstructed can consumption be generated in different places.

Compared to the operating costs of the passenger station, the economic boost brought about by the flow of tourists in western Sichuan is very significant. This also reflects a common perception among tourists: they are willing to spend money on food, accommodation, and attractions, but feel it is not worthwhile to spend too much on transportation.

Therefore, Lü Yao and the local authorities directly reduced the transportation cost throughout western Sichuan to a maximum of 100 yuan, with an average of 70 or 80 yuan, allowing tourists to travel from Litang to other places.

This price is actually crazy. The operating cost of passenger buses is not high. For example, in Jiangsu Province, the fare for a passenger bus from Shisanmei to Suzhou is over 600 kilometers. Some passenger buses cost around 100 yuan. The reason why it is possible to do this in Jiangsu Province is that the local highway hub is particularly developed. The whole journey is on the highway and the time is fast. Two or even three trips a day can be made.

Another issue is that the riding experience on those low-priced passenger buses is generally mediocre.

However, the roads in western Sichuan are underdeveloped, and Lü Yao and his team used relatively comfortable passenger buses, so there weren't many passengers on the same trip, which increased operating costs significantly. But Lü Yao still managed to keep the price down to this level.

Meanwhile, in order to facilitate mutual exchange, both Ganzi and Aba are actively working to improve transportation between important scenic spots in the two regions.

Therefore, the economic growth between the two places can be seen not only from the data, but also from the naked eye, which can be felt as a thriving and prosperous atmosphere.

This development model that links the two regions was even highlighted and promoted at a meeting by a major business owner in Sichuan. Many business owners in Sichuan realized that the landscape in Sichuan might change in the future.

Lu Yao has brought with him a large amount of capital and a rapidly developing green economy. Once he enters the Sichuan region, he will inevitably change the existing landscape.

Managers in charge of economic development, in particular, have more on their minds and a stronger sense of crisis.

However, those who had been in this murky water for a long time understood very well that now was not the time to trip up Lu Yao, this big shot. No matter what they did or how they stirred things up, they would inevitably anger their big boss, and in the end, everything they owned would turn to ashes.

The temporary restraint means that most personnel changes will remain unchanged, and a very small number of people will be reassigned. Even if they do take action, they will wait until Lü Yao encounters problems during his tenure before making their move in secret.

Lu Yao was unaware of the undercurrents in the Sichuan region, or even if he were aware, he wouldn't care, as everyone's ambitions were not on the same level.

Two days before the Spring Festival, Lü Yao and Director Lei were screening collaboration offers that had come through Director Lei's contact.

Among the numerous collaboration offers, Lü Yao noticed a significant push from variety shows.

The two most popular and trending shows right now, "Running Man" and "Go Fighting!", have both sent collaboration invitations. In addition, Lü Yao also saw invitations from the production teams of shows such as "Mushroom House", "Chef Nic", "I Am an Actor", and "I Am a Singer".

Running Man and Go Fighting! hope to film several episodes in western Sichuan. Their online fan base is indeed higher than Lü Yao's. After all, they have so many big names together and extensive online promotional channels, so it's normal that their publicity and influence are greater than Lü Yao's.

They want to collaborate with Lü Yao's side now, hoping to capitalize on the tourism boom in this area. At the same time, once these celebrities announce their travel plans, many enthusiastic fans will fly in specifically to attend, which will also solidify the resolve of tourists who were initially hesitant but whose fans are now theirs to come.

Although Lü Yao doesn't particularly like these domestic variety shows, he does acknowledge their positive impact on local cultural and tourism development.

Therefore, Lü Yao asked Director Lei to respond to the collaboration invitations for "Running Man" and "Go Fighting!".

As for Mushroom House, its reputation is still very good at the moment. The online reputation of the chef has not yet taken a sharp turn for the worse. Many urban workers still like Mushroom House's secluded and otherworldly approach. If they really want to do a show in western Sichuan, that would be great.

Lu Yao immediately passed over the remaining shows, such as "I Am an Actor" and "I Am a Singer".

These kinds of shows are all variety shows recorded in studios, which do nothing to promote tourism. Lü Yao doesn't care about these at all. What he needs are outdoor variety shows that can showcase the beauty of a place.

After selecting a partner, Lü Yao handed over these matters to Director Lei for research and coordination.

Lü Yao then accompanied Rong Nianqing, Wang Shu, and Jian Xiaojie, and they had a good time in western Sichuan.

Despite their wealth, Rong Nianqing and her group weren't very familiar with western Sichuan. The only time Rong Nianqing stayed here for an extended period was when she came to visit Lü Yao in the freezing cold. But this time was different. Lü Yao specially set aside a day to show them around the area and let them experience the local madness.

Soon, February 15th arrived.

The Spring Festival is just one day away.

Rong Nianqing, Jian Xiaojie, and Gan Xiaoxi all have to return to their respective social circles. Even Wang Shu has to take a plane back to Shangnan and then take Xiao Ping'an abroad to spend the Spring Festival with his parents.

After Lü Yao saw everyone off, only Lin Yongzhen remained by his side.

The quiet after the excitement is the hardest to bear.

On the way back to Litang from the airport, Lü Yao was visibly depressed. Lin Yongzhen didn't say much, but soon she put her hand on the back of Lü Yao's hand.

She expressed her feelings through her actions.

Lu Yao looked at Lin Yongzhen beside him. The snow-covered scenery of western Sichuan and the distant snow-capped mountains flashed past the car window, like a continuous scroll painting unfolding from the side of the two of them.

While driving, Lü Yao said, "Won't you start to feel bored or unhappy around me? I seem to have a lot on my mind lately."

Even after Lin Yongzhen revealed her feelings, he remained unrestrained and irresponsible. Even though Lin Yongzhen was very sensible, she must have felt sad after such a long time.

Lin Yongzhen smiled faintly and said, "You know what it means to be trapped in a self-imposed prison, right?"

"How could a circle drawn on the ground become a real cage to confine a person?"

What truly captivates a person is never something in the real world, but rather something within their heart.

Lin Yongzhen felt that what she said was a bit too cheesy, so she chuckled and said, "Don't underestimate me. I'm not a vulgar woman. If one day you start to become as vulgar as an ordinary man, I might find you boring instead."

Lu Yao shook his head and chuckled upon hearing this.

Lin Yongzhen is an incredibly capable woman, so capable that Lü Yao can't tell which of her words are true and which are false. But it is precisely because of this quality that Lin Yongzhen is so captivating.

Back at the guesthouse, Lü Yao noticed that the streets of Litang were almost deserted, with only a few locals or families who had come from other places to settle down and prepare for the Spring Festival. Meanwhile, the various shops that had opened not long before the New Year had closed down and gone home for the holidays after seeing that there was little business here, planning to return to open for business after the New Year.

However, in order to ensure the smooth arrival of tourists after the third day of the Lunar New Year, there are still people on duty here.

Lü Yao didn't plan to celebrate the New Year. He intended to stay here and spend the Spring Festival in the snowy area with Lin Yongzhen. So, after returning in the evening, Lü Yao began preparing this year's New Year's Eve dinner.

Saffron stewed yak meat, Tian Shan snow lotus soup, highland pine roasted chicken, and various vegetables and meats bought from a newly built fresh food supermarket—Lü Yao prepared a huge and sumptuous feast.

From noon until dusk on the plateau, Lü Yao was still busy preparing food, while Lin Yongzhen assisted him. The two of them made the guesthouse, which was usually empty, lively and bustling.

In a daze, in this small plateau town full of rural charm, Lü Yao suddenly had the feeling of preparing for the New Year with his parents in his hometown many years ago.

When Mingming was a child, every Chinese New Year was filled with arguments at home.

But now, Lü Yao's brain has begun to automatically filter out those unhappy images from his childhood, removing the scenes of arguments, overturning tables, and even physical fights from his mind, leaving only some blurry, somewhat happy images.

When all the main dishes were simmering in the pot, just waiting for the heat to reach the right point before they were ready to be served, Lü Yao, who had been busy for a long time, finally had some free time. He returned to the eaves, sat down, picked up a pack of cigarettes, shook it, took out the cigarette that had been flicked out, lit it, and then smoked it calmly.

The taste of this cigarette is complex, yet satisfying.

Lin Yongzhen also came to Lü Yao's side, held up two fingers and smiled, "Give me one."

Lü Yao smiled and handed him the cigarette.

Just as the two of them were sitting together smoking, two cars suddenly pulled up outside the guesthouse. The big bosses from Ganzi and Aba walked into the guesthouse laughing heartily, carrying Moutai in their hands and New Year's goods in the back of the car, their faces beaming with joy.

Lu Yao stood up to greet him: "Oh dear, you've come all this way, why did you bring such valuable things?"

The big boss from Ganzi immediately said, "Don't worry, Mr. Lü, we bought this ourselves. Look! The invoice is still with me."

Lü Yao laughed: "That's not what I meant. You've gone to too much trouble."

He knew, of course, that the liquor was of good quality and that the two big bosses from Ganzi and Aba didn't need it. Showing the invoice was just to put his mind at ease, but the fact that the two of them came to Lüyao during the Spring Festival was a huge favor in itself.

The big boss from Ganzi laughed and said, "Mr. Lü, don't be so polite! To be honest, we should kowtow to you for your contributions to western Sichuan, but that's not the custom these days, so we can only come here to express our gratitude."

Looking at the roaring fire in the stove and smelling the enticing aroma in the air, the big boss from Aba couldn't help but have his eyes light up: "So fragrant! So fragrant! It seems that this time we didn't come here specifically to thank General Manager Lü, but rather we're lucky to be able to eat General Manager Lü's delicious food."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early. Come on, let's get ready to take our seats."

In the guesthouse restaurant, Lü Yao was pulled into drinking and chatting by the big bosses from Ganzi and Aba. As they talked, the two big bosses from Aba and Ganzi suddenly burst into tears.

Who would have thought that the two lords of a thousand miles would lose their composure like this in front of Lü Yao?

They recounted their hardships and the difficulties in development here, while also reflecting on their own shortcomings, such as insufficient efforts, inadequate direction in development, and insufficient ability to implement concrete measures. In short, although they have been in their current positions for many years, they are ashamed to say that they have not accomplished anything worthwhile.

Ganzi and Aba are indeed places with little to no profit.

In the early days, some people would come here to become big bosses, and then leave after a few years. But as the domestic economy has become increasingly prosperous, even fewer people come here to "gild their resumes." At most, they would come here to hold a deputy position, and then after a few years, they would go to Chengdu, using Chengdu as a springboard to go to a wider world.

The two big bosses from Ganzi and Aba stayed here year after year.

This reminded Lü Yao of the registrar of Wancheng County in the TV series "The Ming Dynasty Under the Microscope". Wancheng County was so poor that no county magistrate was willing to take up the post, so a registrar took on the role of county magistrate.

To the outside world, Ganzi and Aba are also known as Wancheng County.

What kind of lucrative opportunities could a place with a GDP of less than 30 billion yuan possibly have?
Some of the stronger towns in Jiangsu Province are even stronger than this place.

The two big bosses, trapped in this reality, had a lot of grievances in their hearts, so they said a lot of things while drunk, saying many things that should have been said and many things that shouldn't have been said.

When the two big bosses behind him became drunk, Lü Yao had no choice but to let them stay there.

Lu Yao has a good alcohol tolerance, and he used some tricks while drinking, and even secretly took some hangover medicine, so he was in good condition at the moment. After settling the two big bosses, Lu Yao returned to the greenhouse with Lin Yongzhen.

This hearth-style heated room has three sides made of extra-large insulated glass that can be adjusted to different lighting conditions. It can also be equipped with a motor to raise the canopy, ensuring the privacy of the entire room.

Lu Yao doesn't usually turn on the canopy, but since there were hardly any people left at the guesthouse, he turned it on after returning to the greenhouse and lay on the bed with Lin Yongzhen to admire the starry sky outside.

The starry sky on the plateau is completely different from that in the developed plains.

The stars in the sky here were exceptionally clear, and the air was exceptionally clean. Coupled with the fine weather tonight, when the entire sky unfolded, Lü Yao and Lin Yongzhen could see the Milky Way, so dazzling, so dense, and so resembling a jade ribbon...

Lu Yao held Lin Yongzhen quietly, and time flowed slowly between them like water.

This tranquility brought Lin Yongzhen a great sense of peace.

Just as Lin Yongzhen was wondering if she should do something to respond to this tranquil peace of mind, a firework suddenly shot into the sky outside Litang, and then exploded into a sky full of fireworks under the starry sky.

The dazzling fireworks illuminated almost half of Litang, and the greenhouse with its fully open canopy and glass windows instantly became transparent and bright.

The bright, colorful fireworks were reflected in the night sky, eventually landing on Lin Yongzhen's face, making her face look vibrant and beautiful.

As more and more fireworks soared into the sky, turning the entire Litang into a kingdom of fireworks, Lin Yongzhen seemed to hear many people coming out of their homes, cheering for tonight's fireworks.

Lin Yongzhen stared blankly at the fireworks display that filled the sky, then let out a soft sigh and exclaimed, "So beautiful!"

Even though I've seen many fireworks, even though I've witnessed many surprises.
Fireworks, though fleeting yet dazzling, are still breathtaking.

Lu Yao pulled Lin Yongzhen closer to him and whispered with a smile, "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year."

……

The next day, early in the morning.

Lu Yao and Lin Yongzhen got up early and followed the people from Litang to the nearby snowmelt canal to fetch water.

The first day of the lunar calendar is the first day of the Tibetan New Year. The first thing they do is send someone from each family to the river to carry back the first bucket of water of the new year. This bucket of water is called "auspicious water".

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, so they also went to fetch auspicious water.

However, Lü Yao and Lin Yongzhen would not drink this water, nor would the locals.

Although snowmelt sounds pure and pristine, any water in the wild carries great risks. Later on the internet, some young and beautiful people wanted to become famous online, so they would come to Sichuan and Tibet and film themselves drinking river water, hoping to express their pure nature of returning to nature.

This behavior may seem carefree and natural, but it is actually foolish and unacceptable.

All wild water sources on the high-altitude grasslands are polluted; no matter how clear they may appear, they are definitely problematic.

Because it may contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites that have come from cow and sheep manure.

Once these substances survive and multiply in the body, under the medical conditions of the plateau, it's practically a death sentence.

As for those who claim he was fine after drinking water... that's just survivor bias. Those who had accidents no longer have the opportunity to post idiotic comments online.

After finishing the New Year's Day rituals early in the morning, the two big bosses from Ganzi and Aba, who had just woken up from their hangovers, left after eating "Xia Maomao," a type of Tibetan dumpling. Although they are the lowest-ranked big bosses in Sichuan, they are still big bosses, and the New Year period is actually the busiest time for them.

Lü Yao also called home in the afternoon, chatted briefly, and then returned to work and life.

The customs for celebrating festivals in Litang are similar to those in the Central Plains.

Starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, relatives and friends visit each other to exchange New Year greetings. This activity lasts for three to five days. During the Lunar New Year in western Sichuan, people gather in circles in squares or open grasslands to dance the Guozhuang dance and the Xianzi dance. Accompanied by instruments such as the six-stringed zither, cymbals, and gongs, they hold hands, step on the ground to keep time, and sing and dance. Children set off firecrackers, and the whole region is immersed in a joyful, festive, and peaceful atmosphere.

Because the holiday atmosphere here was so strong, Lü Yao took Lin Yongzhen from one lively gathering to another.

While having a great time, Lü Yao became a familiar face to many people in the villages near Litang. Grateful for his contributions to the local economic development, the locals were very warm and friendly to him. Every time Lü Yao visited a place, the locals would present him with a hada (a ceremonial scarf).

Before anyone knew it, Lü Yao had collected all five-colored hadas (ceremonial scarves). In the neighborhood, many people even started calling Lü Yao "Bodhisattva." Some local residents who had benefited greatly from this wave of economic development even sculpted clay statues of Lü Yao and worshipped them.

This made Lü Yao feel flattered and overwhelmed.

Of all the families who are grateful to Lü Yao, the Ma Hongyun family is the most grateful.

Because of Lü Yao's arrival, Ma Hongyun became a local celebrity. Many tourists from other places would ask Ma Hongyun to take photos with them. Ma Hongyun would also participate in local horse racing events and song and dance festivals.

Although Ma Hongyun didn't receive any money from these photo-taking activities, an agreement had been made early on by Lü Yao, the big boss from Ganzi, and the local residents: each household would receive one percent of all the cultural and tourism revenue in Litang, and the local government of Litang would also provide a share of the profits.

Moreover, as Ma Hongyun became increasingly popular, the Litang Cultural Tourism Bureau, feeling deeply uneasy, directly recruited Ma Hongyun, making him the tourism promotion ambassador for Litang.

A young man from Litang Kham who hadn't even finished junior high school and couldn't speak Mandarin fluently, suddenly obtained a position that many people who take the civil service exam or postgraduate entrance exam struggle for years to get...

As Ma Hongyun received more and more special treatment, as his fame on the internet grew, and as he easily obtained things that so many people worked tirelessly and painstakingly to achieve, his online reputation was quietly shifting...

(End of this chapter)